Dialogue is a conversation that occurs in a text between two people.
The grammar behind dialogue:
---Dialogue always has quotation marks “ ” around it.
---Each time the speaker changes, a line is skipped or a new paragraph begins
Dialogue is important because the author uses what characters say to each other and about each other to develop the plot of a story. Dialogue also provides evidence for dynamics or relationship between characters.
After that the woman said, “Pick up my pocketbook, boy, and give it here.” She still held him. But she bent down enough to permit him to stoop and pick up her purse. Then she said, “Now ain’t you ashamed of yourself?”
Firmly gripped by his shirt front, the boy said, “Yes’m.”
The woman said, “What did you want to do it for?”
The boy said, “I didn’t aim to.”
She said, “You a lie!”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mrs. Jones says, "You a lie!". Hughes could have wrote Mrs Jones called the boy a liar. Which seems more powerful?
Guided Practice:
Spoken words show more about a character than a simple description.
Examples of Dialogue
What information does the dialogue give the reader?
After that the woman said, “Pick up my pocketbook, boy, and give it here.” She still held him. But she bent down enough to permit him to stoop and pick up her purse. Then she said, “Now ain’t you ashamed of yourself?”
Firmly gripped by his shirt front, the boy said, “Yes’m.”
The woman said, “What did you want to do it for?”
The boy said, “I didn’t aim to.”
She said, “You a lie!”
“Eat some more, son,” she said.
When they were finished eating she got up and said, “Now, here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes. And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody else’s—because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet. I got to get my rest now. But I wish you would behave yourself, son, from here on in.”
She led him down the hall to the front door and opened it. “Good-night! Behave yourself, boy!” she said, looking out into the street.
The boy wanted to say something else other than “Thank you, ma’am” to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, but he couldn’t do so as he turned at the barren stoop and looked back at the large woman in the door. He barely managed to say “Thank you” before she shut the door. And he never saw her again.
Independent Work:
Directions: Answer the questions below about the dialogue in the short story, Thank You, Ma’am.
Based on the dialogue below, describe Ms. Jones’ attitude or feelings toward the boy.
“Um-hum! And your face is dirty. I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?”
“No’m,” said the boy.
“Then it will get washed this evening,” said the large woman starting up the street, dragging the frightened boy behind her.
He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans.
The woman said, “You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?”
In paragraph 20, what does Ms. Jones mean when she says “If you think that that contact is not going to last a while, you got another think coming? When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones.”
In paragraph 24, when Ms. Jones brings the boy to her house she says “Then, Roger, you go to that sink and wash your face.” What is the most likely reason she tells him to wash his face?
In paragraph 11, why do you think the boy whispered, “I’m very sorry lady, I’m sorry”? Why didn’t he speak louder?
In paragraph 36, Ms. Jones says, “I have done things, too, which I would not tell you, son- neither tell God, if he didn’t already know.” What does she most likely mean by this?
Partner Work:
Directions: With a partner rewrite these sentences as dialogue. Use quotation marks and add speaker words that tell how the words were spoken. *Roger said he wanted some blue suede shoes. *Mrs. Jones told Roger not to steal again. *Mrs. Jones told Roger to was his face. *Roger explained that there was nobody home at this house. Directions: With a partner continue Langston Hughes story but writing your own dialogue below.
Pretend that Roger returns to Ms. Jones’ home after the story ended. What would Roger say to Ms. Jones? What would she say to Roger?
Remember to use quotation marks “ ” around the words each character is saying. Remember that a line is skipped or a new paragraph begins each time the speaker changes.
x
Thank You, Ma’am
Dialogue
Dialogue is a conversation that occurs in a text between two people.
The grammar behind dialogue:
---Dialogue always has quotation marks “ ” around it.
---Each time the speaker changes, a line is skipped or a new paragraph begins
Dialogue is important because the author uses what characters say to each other and about each other to develop the plot of a story. Dialogue also provides evidence for dynamics or relationship between characters.
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Example of Dialogue:
After that the woman said, “Pick up my pocketbook, boy, and give it here.” She still held him. But she bent down enough to permit him to stoop and pick up her purse. Then she said, “Now ain’t you ashamed of yourself?”
Firmly gripped by his shirt front, the boy said, “Yes’m.”
The woman said, “What did you want to do it for?”
The boy said, “I didn’t aim to.”
She said, “You a lie!”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mrs. Jones says, "You a lie!". Hughes could have wrote Mrs Jones called the boy a liar.
Which seems more powerful?
Spoken words show more about a character than a simple description.
Firmly gripped by his shirt front, the boy said, “Yes’m.”
The woman said, “What did you want to do it for?”
The boy said, “I didn’t aim to.”
She said, “You a lie!”
When they were finished eating she got up and said, “Now, here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes. And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody else’s—because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet. I got to get my rest now. But I wish you would behave yourself, son, from here on in.”
She led him down the hall to the front door and opened it. “Good-night! Behave yourself, boy!” she said, looking out into the street.
The boy wanted to say something else other than “Thank you, ma’am” to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, but he couldn’t do so as he turned at the barren stoop and looked back at the large woman in the door. He barely managed to say “Thank you” before she shut the door. And he never saw her again.
Directions: Answer the questions below about the dialogue in the short story, Thank You, Ma’am.
Directions: With a partner rewrite these sentences as dialogue. Use quotation marks and add speaker words that tell how the words were spoken.
*Roger said he wanted some blue suede shoes.
*Mrs. Jones told Roger not to steal again.
*Mrs. Jones told Roger to was his face.
*Roger explained that there was nobody home at this house.
Directions: With a partner continue Langston Hughes story but writing your own dialogue below.
Pretend that Roger returns to Ms. Jones’ home after the story ended. What would Roger say to Ms. Jones? What would she say to Roger?
Remember to use quotation marks “ ” around the words each character is saying. Remember that a line is skipped or a new paragraph begins each time the speaker changes.